Head hopes to push Test claims with Worcestershire deal

Worcestershire have signed Australian Travis Head as an overseas player across all formats.

He will be available for the majority of the season, apart from when Australia tour for the limited-overs matches in June and the tail-end of the County Championship campaign in September. The club expects to announce a fill-in player for those periods in the near future.

Head hopes to use the experience in English conditions to further his claims for a Test spot having made his name in one-day and T20 cricket. He recently captained Adelaide Strikers to the Big Bash title and also made 96 in Australia's lone victory in the one-day series against England.

In first-class cricket he has 3729 runs at an average of 35.17 including six centuries and will also provide a spin-bowling option for Worcestershire, especially in the white-ball formats.

Tim Curtis, the Worcestershire vice-chairman, said: "He has just captained Adelaide Strikers to the Big Bash title after playing a big part with the bat in the final and semi-final and played that fine innings against England in a recent ODI.

"But he is ambitious to play Test cricket and Cricket Australia have encouraged him and other young players to play cricket this summer.

"He is hungry to do well and play all types of cricket and he also spoke to Mo [Moeen Ali] in Australia and he gave him positive vibes about coming to Worcestershire.

"In addition to his batting, Travis is keen to develop his spin bowling and certainly in white ball cricket he is used in that role by the Strikers."

Fellow South Australian, Chadd Sayers, has also stated his keenness to pursue a county deal to develop his game ahead of the 2019 Ashes having revealed he is hoping to sign with Sussex.